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Xiemaibo
|number= |user= }} Xiémàibó (勰脉搏, "Harmonic Pulse") is a form of that was utilized by clans of Chinese for centuries before their culture was destroyed in the wake of the and the first . As its name suggests, the practice employs principles of the and to “harmonize” with the ambient Reishi, channeling the of spiritual energy that run through the world around them through the use of inscribed with geometric patterns. It is said that, as opposed to concentrating their into liquid form and infusing it into silver tubes, the Quincy who practice Xiémàibó use the “earth itself as their capsule.” Considering the heavy philosophical influence that has had on the art, most visibly in the trigrams drawn on their talismans, there may be a grain of truth to this rumor. Overview As a general rule, Quincy draw upon the extent in the physical world in order to manifest their abilities. While spiritual energy is composed of particles, the majority of these particles travel in waves or currents. By manipulating the flow and direction of this energy one is able to harness it according to their will. Xiémàibó is unique in this regard, as it both synchronizes with the currents of ambient “ ” and dominates said energy in order to cast spells. Technically it is still considered to be a form of Gintō as the practitioner first condenses their Reiryoku into liquid form before inscribing specific patterns on different objects in order to create talismans. However, the practice of Xiémàibó also encompasses aspects of geomancy as its effectiveness comes from the knowledge of local pools of energy and the spiritual pathways that run between them. It is believed that when qì becomes concentrated in a certain area it creates its own metaphysical, “magnetic” field, which serves to attract spiritual objects and phenomena to itself. Locations such as are associated with these high levels of Reishi, and often serve as portals between the spiritual and physical realms. In Xiémàibó, the alignment of these spiritual land forms and the lines or wavelengths of energy that connect them are essential when crafting spells, as to increase the power of a spell one must first tap into and resonate with these specific, invisible currents of qì. After this synchronization has been reached, the practitioner can triangulate the convergence of a spell between geographic points of concentrated Reishi, determine the positive and negative flows of energy, and is even capable of splitting apart and recombining the influent and effluent currents of qì that, according to Xiémàibó, define the fundamental difference between . This is obviously a very powerful ability, as it grants the user the capability to perceive the subtle complexities of an adversary’s or method of fighting, for example, create and dismantle spells, manipulate environmental effects, or even read the microscopic lines of energy that run through a human or spiritual body. History In the aftermath of the first and Quincy extermination, the surviving members of the Quincy race were largely dispersed throughout the human world. While most stayed close to Europe, some migrated across the Eurasian continent to such far-reaching areas as China and Japan. As the practice of Gintō is an ancient one it is no wonder that it evolved differently depending on the culture and resources available to a particular group of Quincy. For example, it became a powerful, albeit minimalistic and direct aid against in areas relatively sparse in spiritual energy, such as post-medieval Europe. China, in comparison, boasted many areas with high concentrations of Reishi, mainly due to the influences on the architecture and landscape. Combined with the traditions of centuries-long practices such as and , Xiémàibó became quite distinct in application when compared to its traditional counterpart. It should be noted that, in the past, masters of Xiémàibó were referred to as , which was a term that historically applied to any techinical specialist in the magical arts. As the Quincy clans grew in strength and number over the years, each family began to modify the art to suit their own needs. Because internal strife would often erupt between the clans, they kept their spells as well-guarded secrets, and each seemed convinced that their version of Xiémàibó was the most powerful form of spell-casting. Thus, no singular, encompassing form of the art ever emerged. Due to the power and influence granted by their supernatural abilities, some clans even became nobility, and it was not unheard of for a Xiémàibó practitioner to serve in the court of the emperor himself. By the turn of the 20th century, however, the Quincy clans had begun to decline, and the practice was buried by war and eventually forgotten, blurred into the obscurity of time along with the clans who had so carefully protected it for so long. *'Hsiang Wei:' Hsiang Wei was a Quincy who lived during the Northern , an era known for its technological advancements. Influenced by the spirit of scientific inquiry and the philosophy of , Hsiang Wei sought to determine the natural “flow” of the universe as described by . Through his experimentations and writings, many of the most fundamental techniques of Xiémàibó were established, and he is credited with the invention of many important spells. Quanshenji Adapted from and other practices of , Quánshēnjì (全身技, "Syncretic Body Art") allows Quincy to heal both themselves and others using internal qì pathways and incantations, and is thus considered to be a branch of Xiémàibó. Allegedly, by focusing on small pools of qì within the body and the lines that connect them, similar to triangulating Reishi geographically, the practitioner is able to manipulate pathways of energy to heal both internal and external injuries. While the physiologic accuracy of Quánshēnjì may be debated, it does in the end achieve the desired result, suggesting it is at least credible in application. Unlike other forms of Xiémàibó, Quánshēnjì does not employ the use of talismans, instead using the Reiryoku naturally extent in the body of a spiritually aware being to serve as a catalyst for restoration. In the past, Quánshēnjì could be used on humans with minimal Reiatsu by inscribing talismans directly onto the body, infusing the spells with the healer’s own spiritual energy. However, as this yielded mixed results and was highly dangerous, the practice eventually fell out of use entirely. Depending on the individual user there may be slight differences in the application of Quánshēnjì, such as focusing on external pressure points or employing the Chinese system to channel condensed Reiryoku through the body. Notable Quánshēnjì healers, such as Cang Lu, refined the art to such a degree that they could use it in combination with their hand-to-hand combat, focusing on delivering sharp infusions of condensed Reiryoku to pressure points in order to quickly incapacitate an opponent. More practically, Quánshēnjì can be used to heal the wounds of allies or the user themselves in battle, although the degree to which it is effective depends on individual skill. Known Spells Notable Practitioners *'Hsiang Wei'† *'Cang Lu'† *Cang Du *Roshan Bamshad Notes :Permission from the author is required before adding spells or practitioners to this article.